Is the Media finally learning?

Is the media finally learning that there is a difference between Gypsy and Traveller, e.g. a difference between Romani-Gypsies, the only once to who the term “Gypsy” should, rightly, ever be applied and to those that are not Romani but Travellers in general whether they be Irish itinerants, English itinerants, or New Age Travellers (Hippies)?

On some other place on the Internet one entry did state: that the penny has finally dropped with the Daily Mail that it is not the Romani that are causing the troubles but Irish Travellers”. And someone else mentioned on the same forum that Romanies and Irish have always, in the main, have had feuds and never gotten along and SHOULD not be seen as being one. And that is where the source of our entire problem lies. In the fact that Traveller is seen as equaling Traveller and Gypsy as equaling Gypsy, which is not so. When their Lordships in their rulings decided that all Travellers are seen as Gypsies, in general, they were the creators of those current problems, and that is why the Irish Travellers, who having protections themselves as a group, still want and clamor for the protection that the Romani-Gypsies have as an ethnic People. We, the Romani, are an ethnic People and Race while the Irish, I am sorry, but this is the fact, are NOT. The Irish Travellers, in general, with the exception of the few Romani clans from and in Eire, are nothing but Gohjas who have taken up the traveling life, period, dosta.Therefore, say the word “Gypsy” and the Gohja equates it immediately with the trash and mess that the Irish leave behind and around where they cam and with kids being abusive and performing bodily functions in public, often in full view of everyone. Romanies are NOT like that and would NEVER do that. Oh, I am the first to admit that there are some rogue elements amongst our own, especially those whose Culture is watered down a little too much, that may camp somewhere and leave a lot of trash and even building rubble behind or who may dump stuff such as the cuttings of some tree surgery job somewhere in a woodland or such, and this is something that, though not condoning, I am not really on about. And I also know of those that have set up camp on land for years and years on their own land until they won the planning appeals but where are our People to go? Some have won appeals other have not and even if they are trying it on non-greenbelt sites there is not a chance for them, as I mentioned in my previous article on O NEVO DROM, to get permission granted in most cases, whether retrospective or starting it the proper way. As soon as it becomes clear that it is Gypsies that wish to develop the land for their use and residence it becomes a non-event in most cases.

While the Daily Mail, and hopefully other rags of its ilk, like the Sun, are getting the drift as to who is responsible for the troubles, it would appear that the Tories and their little fascist Dictator do not and continue full steam ahead with their anti-Gypsy campaign of hate. But sorry folks if I am going to disillusion you; the other parties are no better either. I don’t care what they say now. What they will say closer to the election when the electorate starts making it clear to them that they cannot win on a pro-Gypsy ticket they will soon change their tune. Don’t say you have not been warned. So, you ask, who are we to vote for? “None of the above”, comes to mind but as you we do not have such an option and are not really enough in one area to make our votes count I don’t know either. Even starting our own political party would not help, really. Also please do not expect any help from the International Romani Union (or is it now International Roma Union? I think they are all confused themselves) as they are only concerned with Eastern European Roma (same as with the Decade of Roma Inclusion) and not with the Romanichals/Sinti in England. Yes, the English Romani are NOT Roma and please do not style yourself thus. The English Romani are Romanichals – as you all know – and thus part of the Sinti Nation.

(For more on this as well as other issues of Romani Politics, such as parties, and such, see ROMANI FIRST Blog & and the ROMANI FIRST email Newsletter.)